The Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Subic recently apprehended 30 20-footer containers of misdeclared sugar from Hong Kong with an estimated value of P86 million.
In a statement on Monday, March 20, the bureau said Port of Subic District Collector Maritess Martin issued Pre-Lodgment Control Orders after receiving derogatory reports from the BOC Intelligence Group (IG) and Enforcement Group (EG), against the containers declared to contain slipper outsoles and styrene butadiene rubber but suspected to carry refined sugar.
The BOC officers conducted a non-intrusive examination and 100 percent physical examination, which yielded 15,648 bags/sacks of refined sugar on March 15.
The assigned examiner recommended the issuance of a warrant of seizure and detention.
Martin together with Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary James Layug, and representatives from the Sugar Regulatory Agency were present during the physical examination.
The BOC already issued Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against the shipments in violation of SRA and BOC Joint Memorandum Order No. 04-2002 dated Aug. 16, 2002, and Section 1400, in relation to Section 1113 (f) of the Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.*PNA